Welcome!
A sigh escaped my lips as I walked on concrete. Off in the distance I could hear a car horn honking, but it passed after a second. Sadly enough, music did not flow through the air and the walls of buildings remained the same reddish brown and grey. A sight I saw just about every week, once I finished school for the day and went to the library.
Maybe today I would finally get some writing done. Every time I intended to write, I just left with a notebook full of doodles. Stories I wanted to write turned to stickmen standing around or skiing or something. I had no idea why, it was like magic.
Okay, I knew exactly why but I like to pretend boredom isn’t the boss of me. Even if it is.
I passed by some scaffolding, at the top a man painting a window sill. Stopping in place, I thought about why he might be doing it. Maybe it was his home, and he wanted different looking windows. Maybe a friend or relative of his wanted it done, but didn’t have the strength or ability to do so. Maybe he was doing it as a job. I must have stood there for a good few minutes, pondering the question.
Don’t judge me, I like thinking about the possibilities in the world.
And I needed a reason not to let myself down when I went to the library and ended up doodling. I continued on my way past, when I heard a noise. A sort of scraping sound, like metal across wood. I looked up, and bolted a few steps to the side as the paint can hit the ground. Would have been really bad if it-
*HOOOOOOONNNNKKKK*
I twisted and looked behind me, and realized a few things in the process of doing so. Avoiding the paint put me on the street. There was also a car heading straight towards me, only a few feet away and closing fast.
Time slowed to a standstill. It was like the stories, being able to see cracks travelling through glass, inch by inch. I didn’t have enough time to move. The car wasn’t the right shape for me to roll over it, even if I could jump. I like to think I’m at least a little smart, and I know my physics. A car moving that fast hitting me would no doubt be fatal.
I was going to die. As it sunk in, a billion thoughts raced through my head. How much would it hurt? Where would I end up? Is there even an afterlife for me to go to? Could I be dreaming? Is this really how it ends? How would my family react? Would they find the notes I left in case this happened? What would my friends think when I disappeared?
Is everyone else going to be okay?
I’m pretty sure that the last thing that went through my head was fairly silly. I couldn’t help but think how useless all those vaccines had been.
*BOOM*
“Excuse me, are you okay?”
My head echoed with those words, amplifying the headache I had. A groan escaped me as I got up into a sitting position. I opened my eyes, and closed them again as the light burned them. First, a headache. Next, I get blinded. Chances of me being in hell? Increased.
I covered my eyes with my hand, and slowly opened both to get accustomed to my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the green grass below me. I then noticed the flowers that were there, all of them vivid colors. I could feel dirt beneath me, and the air smelled fresher than anything I had ever experienced.
Oddly enough, the last thing I noticed was the creature in front of me. It was a... pony. A pony that was plain white, but with a yellow snout and mane in a bun.
“What.” I said.
“Are you okay?” The… pony… said. With a distinctly feminine voice.
“…You’re a talking pony.” I said.
“Yes…? Why is that surprising?”
“A pony is talking to me.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. Are you okay?”
“Well, I just got hit by a car.”
The pony I was speaking with got a look of confusion on her face. “What’s a car?”
I never thought I would have to answer a question like that. “Well, it’s a giant hunk of metal that people drive around.”
“People?”
Yet another question I never thought I’d answer. “Well, um, people are other creatures like me. I’m a human, and you are a pony.”
“I believe we’ve made the fact that I am a pony clear. My name is Daisy Bloom. What’s your name?”
Daisy Bloom. I’d have to remember that. It was a name that seemed very… fitting. A name that could fit a show I watched.
“Before I answer your question,” I began. “Does the name ‘Celestia’ mean anything to you?” I had to know for sure.
“The princess? What does she have to do with any of this?”
“Raises the sun?”
“Yes, that’s what Princess Celestia does.”
“And we are in Equestria?”
“Yes. We are in Equestria. Why is that so weird to you, you…? Human, was it?”
I couldn’t help myself. I threw my hands up in the air and lay back down, looking up at the sky.
“Are you okay?” She asked again.
“Just dandy. Let me get this out of the way. I’m not from this world. I’m from an entirely different one. Ever heard of TV?”
“What’s Tee Vee?”
“Hah. Perfect. Just perfect. In my world, Equestria is a story. No doubt, in some other world my home is a story too. And now I’m inside a world of fiction.”
“It doesn’t seem like fiction to me.”
“It seems real to me too. That’s the problem.”
“What do you mean by problem?”
“I got hit by a car. Giant hunks of metal that can move very fast. There’s a good chance it killed me.”
“Do humans survive death?”
“No, it’s usually fatal.” I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. “If it wasn’t fatal, well, there’s a chance I’m in a coma. This could all be a figment of my imagination.”
“If I was in your head, I doubt I’d be as rational as I am.”
“There’s another possibility though.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“I was saved at the last minute by some external force that transported me to Equestria for reasons unknown.”
“That seems a little far-fetched.”
“Said the talking horse.”
“What’s so weird about that? Do equines just not talk where you come from?”
I just nodded my head.
“Oh. Do fish talk instead or something?”
“Nope, only humans.”
“Speaking of humans talking, can you tell me your name?”
I thought about it for a minute. What if there was dangerous magic that worked on names? “You know what? Call me White Eyes.”
She squinted down at me, looking closer. “Your eyes don’t look very white.”
“I know. I have my reasons, and it’s much more of a fitting name here than my actual name. New world, new identity you know?”
“I guess I can see the logic behind that.”
I got to my feet, and Daisy seemed surprised. "Oh, so you walk on two hooves like a Minotaur."
“Not exactly... but yeah, bipedal.”
She shrugged at this, and motioned for me to follow as we started walking. “So where are we headed?” I asked her, happy to be stretching my legs again.
“To my hometown, New Carapace.”
I thought about it for a second. I hadn’t exactly memorized maps of Equestria, but the name wasn’t very familiar. “Strange name for a place. Well, I mean, where I’m from most places in Equestria as we know it are puns on existing things.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
“Well, you know Canterlot?”
She seemed to mull it over for a second. “Yeah, I know it. What of it?”
“Back home, it’s based on a place called Camelot.”
“One hump or two?”
“Huh. Guess it goes both ways.”
She spoke a bit quieter, seemingly to herself. “Glad to see that interspecies relations are going well so far.”
“Interspecies relations?” I asked.
“Well, you’re the first human I’ve ever heard about. When you meet new species, it’s important to establish relations.”
“…Fair enough.”
The conversation dwindled after that, as did the grass. Soon, the green gave way to grey and brown as we entered a rockier region. We eventually approached a large, wide pillar, two pathways around with natural walls on either side. Daisy reached up and grabbed me by the shoulder, pulling me down to her level. She looked closely into my eyes, our noses touching.
“Listen,” She began, more serious than I had seen her before. “Wait right here. The rest of the, ponies, in my town can be a little skittish around new arrivals that aren’t other ponies. I just need to tell them that you’re coming, and it’ll all be… was that “Dandy” word you used earlier a good thing?”
I nodded my head.
“It’ll all be dandy.”
She went around the corner and I waited, leaning against the wall and snapping my fingers to pass the time. It made me think on my situation. I could be dead; there might be a body back home. I could be missing entirely; my parents would never know what happened. They might figure that I’d been kidnapped, or I ran away, or something worse. I really hoped they found the notes.
And what of me? I’d read many stories focusing on this exact set up. Human ends up in Equestria, gets in crazy adventures, and going home is never guaranteed. I’m not even sure how hospitable Equestria could be to a human. I could find some way to survive and not die, I was sure, but what if I was in a story? Was I to be at the whim of an author, forever thinking I had freewill, only to be controlled by a puppet master focused only on entertainment, uncaring for the fate of his creations?
I was knocked out of my existential crisis by shaking. I looked over, and Daisy was looking at me funny.
“…Seriously, are you okay?”
“Yeah, just having concerning thought. What if we have no control over our actions at all?”
She nodded sympathetically. “I’ve had crisis like that before. Then I realized that there isn't much of a point panicking about stuff you can't control."
“...Thanks, I needed that.”
“Don't mention it. Happy to help.”
Looked like Daisy was going to be a good friend. At the very least, someone I could talk to without them being weirded out.
“So, are the townsfolk warned of the monster’s approach?” I asked jokingly, getting to my feet once more.
“Yep, they’re all prepared for your arrival.”
“Well, let’s get moving. Lead the way, Daisy.”
We walked around the corner, and what I beheld was a sight to see.
Okay, it was pretty good looking.
Alright, to be perfectly honest it wasn’t half bad. It was a small town, probably not more than 50 or so homes, all one story, rectangular, and no doors or windows, just cutouts in the buildings.
“It looks… nice?”
“I know, right? Everyone worked really hard on it.”
She called out to the town. “Alright, EveryPony! Come on out, the visitor’s here!”
With no warning, a bunch of ponies poked out from behind the houses.
“HI!” They spoke as one as I nearly leaped into the air and raised my hands in front of me. I lowered them after a second, chuckling nervously.
“They’re a little enthusiastic.” Daisy said, walking with me through town as the different ponies greeted us.
“Nice to meet you!”
“Nice to meet you too?”
“So you’re a human. I thought she was crazy when she talked about ya.”
“Yeah, I can understand…”
We continued through town, taking in the sights. Well, the sights weren’t much to see, but we did look at the different ponies. A stocky brown Pegasus, one, a small unicorn with a heavily styled green mane, a stocky brown Pegasus... twins? Eh, probably nothing. Wait, they had the same cutie mark.
“Huh.” I said, noticing it. “Looks like background clone syndrome is a real thing.”
Daisy looked back, slightly confused. “What are you…"
"Oh, those idiots.”
She looked at me and backpedaled away, trying to look casual about it. “What’s the problem?” I asked.
She called out again. “Jig’s up! Prepare, Everyone!”
The ponies moved into a position so I was surrounded on all sides.
“What’s going on?” I asked, worried.
One of the ponies flashed with green fire, and where he once stood, there was a Changeling. The trend repeated once, twice, and soon enough, I was surrounded completely by Changelings.
I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. It was all just so absurd. Of course, I was just dreaming. The universe wouldn't put me in such a terrible situation! I continued laughing as I started pinching myself. First on the wrist, and in between laughing my eyes opened and I saw Daisy looking back at me with a small smile on her face. I moved my pinches up my arm slowly, until I was digging my fingers into my shoulder and laughing desperately.
Daisy smiled, and green fire engulfed her, a Changeling appearing in her place.
“Welcome to New Carapace.”
My laughter had faded to nervous squeaking, and I dropped to my knees, collapsing and scrambling until my back was to a wall. They began closing in, and I could only say one thing.
“Please don’t kill me!”